I cannot sit by and let my Baptist brothers be hurt!
I tried. I wanted to retire and get more work done. But when I see articles like the one I describe here. I cannot remain silent! An important Southern Baptist leader died on November 15th. Dr. Adrian Rogers was the former pastor of a very large Baptist church in Memphis, Tn. He also served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Associated Baptist Press, which is an “independent” news source for Baptists that is usually critical of Southern Baptists, published an article about Rogers that included the following quote from moderate Baptist leader Cecil Sherman:
He was a man of enormous gifts, but I tell you what — I think they were put to a terrible cause,” Sherman, who served as the first coordinator of the moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, said. “I take no pleasure in his dying, [but] the results of his efforts in other days caused me and many people great pain. [emphasis mine]
Here is a note I wrote to to Robert Marus, Washington Bureau Chief of Associated Baptist Press and writer of an article about the death of Dr. Adrian Rogers, former pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tn.
Mr. Marus,
I am writing you to let you know that I am disappointed and angry about your article in Associated Baptist Press yesterday about Dr. Adrian Rogers. I want you to know that I am not a fundamentalist Baptist with an axe to grind. In fact, I’ve been so hurt by Southern Baptists that I have been forced to find a community of faith elsewhere. I have also written many articles criticizing Southern Baptist leaders on my website. In fact, I criticized David Dockery’s Baptist Press article on Stan Grenz’s death. Here’s a brief quote:
That’s one of the real problems I have with evangelical Baptists, they are so concerned with “truth” that it distorts their understanding of what’s really important. This article almost came off as an apology by Dockery for having a “heretical” friend like Stanley. It seems that Dockery was afraid that if he just voiced his love for his friend, his evangelical brothers would have doubted his orthodoxy.
I wish your article had been so “diplomatic.” Cecil Sherman’s quote was not only inappropriate, it was downright mean. I’ve heard countless stories about Dr. Roger’s role in Southern Baptist life. At such a difficult time, I feel that however one feels about this role, one should demonstrate respect for Dr. Rogers, his family, and thousands who knew and loved him. Although, your article was primarily positive, Sherman’s statement that Rogers had caused him and many people “great pain” was disrespectful and is damaging to the cause of those of us who wish to speak out against harmful actions of Southern Baptists.
I am publishing this letter to you publicly at my website if you would like to respond.
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